IntroducingThe Urwerk UR-150 'Blue Scorpion'

Today, Urwerk releases a new, vibrant take on its previously stealthy UR-150 'Scorpion' with the very self-explanatory UR-150 'Blue Scorpion.' Yes, on the surface, this novelty for Geneva Watch Days is nothing more than a color change and a new decorative pattern engraved on the case. But it's really all that something like the UR-150 needs, given that the watch's new satellite complication system is less than a year old.

My colleague Mark went hands-on with last year's inaugural UR-150 Scorpion in black, and I'd recommend you head over to his piece to dive a little deeper into the complexities and creation of the UR-150 mechanism. But in short, the UR-150 features a new 240° retrograde satellite display. It's kind of like a wandering hours complication on steroids — instead of the minutes pointer moving in the same direction to advance to the next hour, once the pointer (which also frames the current hour on the three rotating satellites) hits 60 minutes, it rapidly flies back all 240 degrees, all the way back to "0." It's during this metaphorical and physical show of force that the trio of hour discs rotate 270°, so that the minute pointer frame can line up with the appropriate hour once it resets to the first position.

This all happens in the blink of an eye, yet, in person, you can see all of the components moving at once in a blur. This mechanical phenomenon hits just like the sting of a Scorpion, hence the name. A rack and cam system in the UR-50.01 caliber is responsible for this animated display of time every hour on the hour, with the lightness of aluminum required for that minute hand, as well as a speed governor to ensure durability and control. On the back of the UR-150, a rotor with Urwerk's signature turbines covers the entire span of the caliber. No fret, as all you would ever want to see is on the front.

While the first two UR-150 models we saw sported a few colorful accents in an otherwise monochromatic design, the new Blue Scorpion gets a brilliant blue treatment on almost everything in the dial-facing caliber. Lume is infilled in all of the markings, with some in a shade of bright green, helping with visibility for the otherwise very busy movement. The tonneau-ish case in beadblasted steel and titanium, with a width of 42.5mm, length of 51mm, and height of 14.8mm, also gets a new engraving on the case. Adding to the circular groove motif throughout the rest of the watch, the new case design certainly catches the eye, but hey, the Blue Scorpion was never trying to be a quiet watch to begin with.

On the integrated rubber strap, the new UR-150 Blue Scorpion is limited to 50 pieces and is priced at CHF 90,000.

It's hard to imagine that anyone who's seen a Urwerk in person isn't impressed by the brand's take on retrograde and wandering hours. The UR-150 certainly feels that way, too. I've been fortunate to spend some time with the previous editions, both in New York and in Geneva, and the minute you turn the crown to activate the retrograde action, a feeling of childlike whimsy instantly takes over your brain, and you forget the sadness in knowing that these watches are quite large and require a substantial wrist to pull off.

While the ultra-modern design isn't for everyone, it is unabashedly Urwerk, and I continue to admire the brand's ability to feel so true to itself no matter what it releases. If you see anyone wearing one of Baumgartner and Frei's creations, you know instantly that it's an Urwerk. But while I most often think of an industrial color palette for the brand — blacks, greys, and reds, I find it most interesting whenever Urwerk explores colors. It takes a certain buyer to commit all the way and go for something like this new bright Blue Scorpion, and if I ever see someone wearing this out in the wild, I just know that I'm making a straight beeline to start talking watches with that person.

Brand: Urwerk
Model: UR-150 'Blue Scorpion'
Diameter: 42.5mm (width) x 51mm (length)
Thickness: 14.8mm
Case Material: Steel & titanium
Dial Color: Blue
Indexes: Engraved
Lume: Super-LumiNova
Water Resistance: 50m
Strap/Bracelet: Rubber strap with folding clasp

Caliber: UR-50.01
Functions: Wandering hours with retrograde minutes hand
Power Reserve: 43 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 VpH
Jewels: 38
Chronometer Certified: No
Additional Details: Automatic winding system governed by double turbine

Price: CHF 90,000
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: Yes, 50 pieces.

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